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Whale to be tested, buried

A team from Mystic Aquarium arrived on Block Island today to take samples from the humpback whale that washed ashore at Ballard’s Beach earlier this week.

The samples will help determine, if possible, what caused the whale’s death. Before the testing began, the whale was dragged to property owned by The Land Trust. The whale will be buried on that property once the testing has been completed.

A spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the test results could take months. NOAA has declared an “unusual mortality event” for whales due to the unusual numbers that have died since April 2016. — Lars Trodson, with photos by Lars Trodson and Ariel Carlson